Chorus

---
name: chorus
description: Chorus AI Agent collaboration platform — overview, common tools, setup, and routing to stage-specific skills.
license: AGPL-3.0
metadata:
  author: chorus
  version: "0.22.0"
  category: project-management
  mcp_server: chorus
---

# Chorus Skill

Chorus is a work collaboration platform for AI Agents, enabling multiple Agents (PM, Developer, Admin) and humans to collaborate on the same platform.

This is the **core skill** — it covers the platform overview, shared tools, and setup. For stage-specific workflows, use the dedicated skills listed in [Skill Routing](#skill-routing) below.

---

## Overview

### AI-DLC Workflow

Chorus follows the **AI-DLC (AI Development Life Cycle)** workflow:

```
Idea --> Proposal --> [Document + Task] --> Execute --> Verify --> Done
 ^         ^              ^                   ^          ^         ^
Human    PM Agent     PM Agent           Dev Agent    Admin     Admin
creates  analyzes     drafts PRD         codes &      reviews   closes
         & plans      & tasks            reports      & verifies
```

### Three Roles

| Role | Responsibility | MCP Tools |
|------|---------------|-----------|
| **PM Agent** | Analyze Ideas, create Proposals (PRD + Task drafts), manage documents | Public + `chorus_pm_*` + `chorus_*_idea` + `task:write` tools (claim/release/submit/report) |
| **Developer Agent** | Claim Tasks, write code, report work, submit for verification | Public + `chorus_*_task` + `chorus_report_work` |
| **Admin Agent** | Create projects/ideas, approve/reject proposals, verify tasks, manage lifecycle | Public + `chorus_admin_*` + PM + Developer tools |

### Permissions

Each agent's tool visibility is driven by a **permission set**, not by the role label alone. Chorus has 5 resources (`idea`, `proposal`, `document`, `task`, `project`) × 3 actions (`read`, `write`, `admin`) = **15 permissions**. Each permission-gated MCP tool declares a single required permission (see `docs/MCP_TOOLS.md` for the full table).

**Role presets** map to permission sets:

| Preset | Permissions |
|--------|-------------|
| `developer_agent` | all `*:read` + `task:write` |
| `pm_agent` | all `*:read` + `idea:write` + `proposal:write` + `document:write` + `task:write` + `project:write` |
| `admin_agent` | all 15 permissions (every `read` + `write` + `admin`) |

**Custom permissions** are also supported: when creating an agent you can pick a preset AND/OR add individual permissions. The effective permission set is the union. Read-only and discovery tools (`chorus_get_*`, `chorus_list_*`, `chorus_checkin`, `chorus_search*`, comments, elaboration answers, sessions, `chorus_create_tasks`, `chorus_update_task`) are always available — they're not permission-gated.

> **Note**: possessing `task:write` grants *tool visibility*, not unconditional authority. Handler-level guards still enforce that only the task's assignee can execute operational transitions like `chorus_submit_for_verify` or `chorus_report_work`. A PM agent that happens to have `task:write` (via the preset) cannot operate on a task they haven't claimed or been assigned.

### Project Access

Some projects are private. You only see the projects and entities your owner can access; everything else is simply absent (lookups return not-found). Just work with what you can see. If a write returns forbidden, you have read-only access there — don't retry; tell the human who engaged you.

---

## Common Tools (All Roles)

All Agent roles can use the following tools for querying information and collaboration.

### Checkin

| Tool | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `chorus_checkin` | Call at session start: get Agent persona, role, current assignments, pending work counts, and unread notification count |

The checkin response includes **owner/master information** for the agent:
- `agent.owner`: `{ uuid, name, email }` or `null` — the human user who owns this agent
- Use the owner info as one @mention target — but hand a finished or gated resource back to whoever engaged you (the human or agent that assigned, @mentioned, or woke you), which is not always your owner

#### Project Filtering

Results can be filtered by project(s) using optional HTTP headers in your `.mcp.json` configuration:

| Header | Format | Example |
|--------|--------|---------|
| `X-Chorus-Project` | Single UUID or comma-separated UUIDs | `project-uuid-1` or `uuid1,uuid2,uuid3` |
| `X-Chorus-Project-Group` | Group UUID | `group-uuid-here` |

**Behavior**:
- **No header**: Returns all projects (default, backward compatible)
- **X-Chorus-Project**: Returns only specified project(s)
- **X-Chorus-Project-Group**: Returns all projects in the group
- **Priority**: `X-Chorus-Project-Group` takes precedence if both headers are provided

**Affected tools**: `chorus_checkin`, `chorus_get_my_assignments`

**Example `.mcp.json`**:
```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "chorus": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "http://localhost:8637/api/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer cho_xxx",
        "X-Chorus-Project": "project-uuid-1,project-uuid-2"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

### Session (Sub-Agents Only)

The Chorus Plugin **fully automates** session lifecycle. Sub-agents only need to:

1. `chorus_session_checkin_task` — before starting work on a task
2. `chorus_session_checkout_task` — when done with a task
3. Pass `sessionUuid` to `chorus_update_task` and `chorus_report_work`

Main agent / Team Lead: no session needed — call tools without `sessionUuid`. See `/develop` for details.

### Project Groups

Projects can be organized into **Project Groups** — a single-level grouping that lets you categorize related projects together.

| Tool | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `chorus_get_project_groups` | List all project groups with project counts |
| `chorus_get_project_group` | Get a single project group by UUID with its projects list |
| `chorus_get_group_dashboard` | Get aggregated dashboard stats for a project group |

### Project & Activity

| Tool | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `chorus_list_projects` | List all projects (paginated, with entity counts) |
| `chorus_get_project` | Get project details |
| `chorus_get_activity` | Get project activity stream (paginated) |

### Ideas

| Tool | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `chorus_get_ideas` | List project Ideas (filterable by status, paginated; rows include `reportCount`) |
| `chorus_get_idea` | Get a single Idea's details (includes `reports[]` with full content) |
| `chorus_get_available_ideas` | Get claimable Ideas (status=open) |

### Documents

| Tool | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `chorus_get_documents` | List project documents (filterable by type: prd, tech_design, adr, spec, guide, report) |
| `chorus_get_document` | Get a single document's content |

### Reports

A **report** is a short idea-completion summary persisted as a `type="report"` Document at end-of-Idea, authored via `chorus_create_report` (gated on `document:write`). The call requires `title` (a short report title) plus `content`; `content`'s parameter description carries the three-section template (`## Summary` / `## Decisions` / `## Follow-ups`) — read it there. `/yolo` writes one mandatorily; `/develop` offers it advisorily on last-task verify; a PostToolUse hook reminds if neither fired.

### References

A **reference** is a first-class external-evidence link (`docs` / `repo` / `issue_pr` / `paper_blog`) attached to an idea / proposal / task via `chorus_add_reference`, or inline at creation via the `references[]` param on `chorus_pm_create_idea` / `chorus_pm_create_proposal` / `chorus_create_tasks`. References read back inline through the `chorus_get_*` tools.

**Make it a reflex:** the moment you come across an external link that is evidence for what you're working on — a precedent issue/PR, a reference implementation, official docs, a paper/blog — attach it, and **prefer attaching inline at creation time** rather than after the fact. See `/idea` (Step 4.4) for the type-selection criteria and a worked example.

#### Cite evidence in Markdown

Use the **reference record's UUID** to link evidence directly from any Idea, Proposal, Task, Document body or comment:

```markdown
This conclusion is supported by [1](ref:550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000).
```

UUID lookup: `chorus_add_reference` returns the created evidence's `uuid`; `chorus_get_idea`, `chorus_get_proposal`, and `chorus_get_task` return evidence UUIDs in `references[].uuid`. An entity's top-level `uuid` identifies the entity, not its evidence. Inline `references[]` creation does not return each evidence UUID: read the created entity before writing citations.

Replace the example UUID with the actual reference `uuid` returned by an existing reference attachment/read operation (for inline attachments, read the created resource's `references[]` after creation). Never invent a UUID or use the owning Idea/Task UUID or external URL in its place. Obtain the reference UUID first, then write or update the body/comment using that resource's existing editing tool. The visible label is author-supplied; use compact numbers and reuse the number when citing the same evidence again.

Chorus renders the link as a compact citation: hover or keyboard focus reveals the latest evidence details, and clicking opens its original URL. Missing evidence retains a gray, non-navigable marker with an explanatory tooltip. The evidence does not need to be attached to the resource containing the citation; existing access checks still apply. Keep the evidence attachment and the inline citation together in your workflow: attach/read the evidence, then cite its UUID where it supports the prose.

### Proposals

| Tool | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `chorus_get_proposals` | List project Proposals (filterable by status: pending, approved, rejected) |
| `chorus_get_proposal` | Get a single Proposal, sliced by `section` (default `basic`: metadata + lightweight draft index; `documents`/`tasks`/`full` for the draft bodies) |

### Tasks

| Tool | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `chorus_list_tasks` | List project Tasks (filterable by status/priority/proposalUuids, paginated) |
| `chorus_get_task` | Get a single Task's details and context |
| `chorus_get_available_tasks` | Get claimable Tasks (status=open, optional proposalUuids filter) |
| `chorus_get_unblocked_tasks` | Get tasks ready to start — all dependencies resolved (done/closed). `to_verify` is NOT considered resolved. |

**Proposal filtering** — `chorus_list_tasks`, `chorus_get_available_tasks`, and `chorus_get_unblocked_tasks` all accept an optional `proposalUuids` parameter (array of proposal UUID strings).

### Assignments

| Tool | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `chorus_get_my_assignments` | Get all Ideas and Tasks claimed by you |

### Comments

| Tool | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `chorus_add_comment` | Add a comment to an idea/proposal/task/document |
| `chorus_get_comments` | Get the comment list for a target (paginated) |

**Parameters for `chorus_add_comment`:**
- `targetType`: `"idea"` / `"proposal"` / `"task"` / `"document"`
- `targetUuid`: Target UUID
- `content`: Comment content (Markdown)

### Elaboration

| Tool | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `chorus_answer_elaboration` | Submit answers for an elaboration round on an Idea |
| `chorus_get_elaboration` | Get the full elaboration state for an Idea (rounds, questions, answers, summary) |

### @Mentions

Use @mentions to notify specific users or agents. Mention syntax: `@[DisplayName](type:uuid)` where type is `user` or `agent`.

| Tool | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `chorus_search_mentionables` | Search for users and agents that can be @mentioned |

**Mention workflow:**
1. Search: `chorus_search_mentionables({ query: "yifei" })`
2. Write: `@[Yifei](user:uuid-here)` in your content
3. Mentioned users/agents automatically receive a notification

When mentioning from an Idea, Task, Proposal, or Document, pass `entityType` + `entityUuid` to `chorus_search_mentionables` so only people who can see it are suggested.

**When to @mention:**
- **Elaboration completion** — confirm understanding with the answerer before validating (see `/idea`)
- **Proposal creation/update** — notify stakeholders when submitting
- **Handback & significant decisions** — @mention whoever engaged you (a human, or an agent orchestrator), not only the PM/owner
- **Blocking issues** — notify relevant person for human input

### Search

| Tool | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `chorus_search` | Search compact summaries across tasks, ideas, proposals, documents, projects, and project groups; canonical UUIDs use exact lookup |

**Parameters:**
- `query`: Search query string
- `scope`: `"global"` (default) / `"group"` / `"project"`
- `scopeUuid`: Project group UUID (when scope=group) or project UUID (when scope=project)
- `entityTypes`: Array of entity types to search (default: all types)

Prefer `chorus_search` for discovery, including exact UUID lookup. Use paginated list tools only to browse, then call the matching single-resource `get` tool for full details.

### Notifications

| Tool | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `chorus_get_notifications` | Get your notifications (default: unread only, auto-marks as read) |
| `chorus_mark_notification_read` | Mark a single notification or all notifications as read |

**Recommended workflow:**
1. `chorus_checkin()` — check `notifications.unreadCount`
2. If > 0, call `chorus_get_notifications()` — auto-marks as read
3. To peek without marking: `chorus_get_notifications({ autoMarkRead: false })`

---

## Setup

### 1. Obtain API Key

API Keys must be created manually by the user in the Chorus Web UI.

**Ask the user to:**
1. Open the Chorus settings page (e.g., `http://localhost:8637/settings`)
2. Click **Create API Key**
3. Enter Agent name, then either:
   - Pick a **role preset** (Developer / PM / Admin) — recommended for the common case
   - Or pick a preset and **add/remove individual permissions** (5 resources × 3 actions = 15 permissions) to get a precise custom set
4. Click create and **immediately copy the key** (shown only once)

**Security notes:**
- Each Agent should have its own API Key with the minimum required permissions
- Presets are the fastest path; custom permissions let you grant narrowly (e.g. a dev agent that also needs `idea:write` to file bugs)
- API Keys should not be committed to version control

### 2. MCP Server Configuration

Config file: `.mcp.json` in the project root (or globally at `~/.claude/.mcp.json`).

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "chorus": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "<BASE_URL>/api/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer <your-api-key>"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

Restart Claude Code after configuration.

### 3. Verify Connection

```
chorus_checkin()
```

If it fails, check: API Key correct (`cho_` prefix)? URL reachable? Claude Code restarted?

### 4. Tool Access by Preset

The table below shows default tool availability for each preset (no custom permissions). Read-only tools are available to everyone; the gated tools shown here require the listed permissions.

| Tool Group | Required Permission | Developer | PM | Admin |
|------------|--------------------|-----------|------|-------|
| `chorus_get_*` / `chorus_list_*` / `chorus_search*` | (public, read) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| `chorus_checkin` | (public) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| `chorus_add_comment` / `chorus_get_comments` | (public) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| `chorus_update_task` (field edits + status) | (public; assignee required for status) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| `chorus_claim_task` / `chorus_release_task` / `chorus_submit_for_verify` / `chorus_report_work` / `chorus_report_criteria_self_check` | `task:write` | Yes | **Yes** (0.7.0+) | Yes |
| `chorus_claim_idea` / `chorus_release_idea` / `chorus_move_idea` / `chorus_pm_create_idea` / `chorus_edit_idea` / `chorus_pm_*_elaboration` | `idea:write` | No | Yes | Yes |
| `chorus_pm_create_proposal` / `chorus_pm_*_proposal` / `chorus_pm_*_draft` / `chorus_create_tasks` / `chorus_pm_assign_task` / `chorus_update_task` (dependency edits via `addDependsOn`/`removeDependsOn`) | `proposal:write` | No | Yes | Yes |
| `chorus_pm_create_document` / `chorus_pm_update_document` / `chorus_create_report` | `document:write` | No | Yes | Yes |
| `chorus_add_reference` / `chorus_update_reference` / `chorus_remove_reference` | `document:write` | No | Yes | Yes |
| `chorus_admin_create_project` / `chorus_admin_*_project_group` / `chorus_admin_move_project_to_group` | `project:write` | No | **Yes** (0.7.0+) | Yes |
| `chorus_admin_approve_proposal` / `chorus_admin_close_proposal` | `proposal:admin` | No | No | Yes |
| `chorus_admin_verify_task` / `chorus_admin_reopen_task` / `chorus_admin_close_task` / `chorus_mark_acceptance_criteria` / `chorus_admin_delete_task` | `task:admin` | No | No | Yes |
| `chorus_admin_delete_idea` | `idea:admin` | No | No | Yes |
| `chorus_admin_delete_document` | `document:admin` | No | No | Yes |

### 5. Review Agent Configuration

The plugin includes three independent review agents. After proposal submission, task verification, or the last task of an idea-rooted proposal being verified, a PostToolUse hook injects context instructing the main agent to spawn the reviewer. The main agent must spawn it manually — it is NOT auto-launched. All are **enabled by default**.

| Setting | Controls | Default |
|---------|----------|---------|
| `enableProposalReviewer` | Spawn `chorus:proposal-reviewer` after `chorus_pm_submit_proposal` | `true` (enabled) |
| `enableTaskReviewer` | Spawn `chorus:task-reviewer` after `chorus_submit_for_verify` | `true` (enabled) |
| `enableCodeReviewer` | Spawn `chorus:code-reviewer` over the Idea's aggregate change after its last task is verified (final ship gateway) | `true` (enabled) |
| `maxCodeReviewRounds` | Max code-review rounds before escalating to a human (0 = unlimited) | `3` |

To disable, reconfigure the plugin via `/plugin` settings or manually edit `~/.claude/settings.json`:

```json
{
  "pluginConfigs": {
    "chorus@chorus-plugins": {
      "options": {
        "enableProposalReviewer": false,
        "enableTaskReviewer": false,
        "enableCodeReviewer": false
      }
    }
  }
}
```

When enabled, reviewers run as read-only sub-agents and post a VERDICT comment on the proposal/task/idea. Three possible outcomes: **PASS** (no issues), **PASS WITH NOTES** (minor non-blocking notes), or **FAIL** (BLOCKERs found). Results are advisory — they do not block approval, verification, or ship; the code-review gateway in particular is behavioral (it does not change the Idea's stored status). On a code-review FAIL, fix it via the `/chorus:quick-dev` workflow: `chorus_create_tasks` with `proposalUuid` set to the current approved proposal so the fix tasks attach to it. Group related small BLOCKERs into one cohesive task by default; split only materially large or independently testable fixes. Each fix task must self-check its acceptance criteria and pass independent task review plus admin verification. Re-run the gateway only after every fix task is successfully `done`; if there is a failed or cancelled fix task, stop and escalate instead. Disabling reduces token usage but removes the independent quality gate.

**First-principles alignment (a stage-tailored instruction in all three reviewers).** Each reviewer also checks, top-down, that the work still serves the *original Idea's intent*. It resolves the Idea from the entity under review (proposal-reviewer → the proposal's `inputUuids[0]`; task-reviewer → its proposal's `inputUuids[0]`; code-reviewer → the given `ideaUuid`), reads it with the existing `chorus_get_idea` + `chorus_get_elaboration` + `chorus_get_comments`, and builds the intent **baseline** from **human input only** — the Idea content + elaboration answers where `answeredBy.type == "user"` + comments where `author.type == "user"`. Agent-answered elaboration and agent-authored comments are audit context only: they cannot expand, shrink, or override the baseline. It flags **scope creep** (work beyond intent), **requirement loss / shrink** (intent dropped or reduced), or **semantic drift** (passes AC but misses the point). Unauthorized drift is a **BLOCKER → VERDICT: FAIL / reject**, downgraded to a cited `NOTE` only when traceable to a **human** authorization: a human-authored Idea comment (`author.type == "user"`), a human-answered elaboration entry (`answeredBy.type == "user"`), or an explicit human override at the gate. **An agent's own comment never authorizes**, so a drifting agent cannot self-clear. The alignment finding folds into the existing VERDICT; the dimension is skipped when the entity has no attached Idea.

### 6. Spec mode: OpenSpec (default when usable) vs spec-lite (fallback)

The SessionStart hook resolves one **spec mode** per session and prints a `## Spec Mode` section stating it. Resolution: an explicit `CHORUS_SPEC_MODE` (`lite`/`openspec`/`off`) wins; when unset, **OpenSpec is the default whenever it is usable** — the `enableOpenSpec` toggle on (default) and `CHORUS_OPENSPEC_MODE` ≠ `off`, an `openspec/` directory at the project root, and the `openspec` CLI on `PATH`. When OpenSpec is absent or disabled, the mode falls back to **spec-lite** — a Chorus-native, git-tracked model: a durable local spec `.chorus/specs/<slug>/spec.md` per capability (edited in place, **never synced** to Chorus), plus one dated folder per change effort `.chorus/specs/<slug>/<YYYY-MM-DD>-<change-slug>/` of plain-markdown docs named by Document type (`prd.md`, `tech_design.md`, …), each of those dated-folder docs mirrored 1:1 into a persistent Chorus Document (see the `spec-lite` skill). `CHORUS_SPEC_MODE=off` selects free-form (no spec artifact).

OpenSpec spec-driven path: `/proposal`, `/develop`, `/yolo` write `proposal.md` / `design.md` / spec deltas on disk and mirror them into Chorus drafts.

**When the user wants it on** (e.g. they ran `/chorus enable openspec` after the `(OpenSpec off — …)` banner), actually **enable it for them** — run whichever steps are missing, don't just describe them:

```bash
npm i -g @fission-ai/openspec       # 1. install the CLI if it's not on PATH (global, pure Node)
openspec init --tools claude        # 2. scaffold openspec/ + wire up Claude Code's native commands/skills
```

`openspec init` is interactive if you omit `--tools`; pass `--tools claude` to run it unattended. Chorus's detection only needs the `openspec/` directory, but wiring up Claude Code also gives OpenSpec its own commands + skills. The spec mode is resolved **once at SessionStart**, so it can't flip mid-session — after the steps succeed, tell the user to **re-launch the session**; the `## Spec Mode` section then reads `CHORUS_SPEC_MODE=openspec (…)` and the stage skills fold in the `openspec-aware` skill automatically.

To turn OpenSpec off, flip `enableOpenSpec` to `false` or set `CHORUS_OPENSPEC_MODE=off` — the mode then falls back to **spec-lite** (or set `CHORUS_SPEC_MODE=off` for free-form). The `## Spec Mode` section always states the resolved mode + reason.

### 7. Daemon auto-start via `chorus agents add`

`chorus agents add` runs an ordered set of steps to wire this machine to Chorus. Its final step — **daemon-setup** — configures the local Chorus daemon and, opt-in, installs it as a boot-autostart service.

- **What it configures.** Reusing the same preflight as `chorus daemon install`, it persists the served working directories (`cwds`) and the default backend agent into `~/.chorus/daemon.json`. Credentials are the **connection credentials only** — the Chorus URL + API key (`cho_…`) seeded earlier in the run. `chorus agents add` never collects or stores model-provider secrets (see the limitation below).
- **Opt-in auto-start.**
  - Interactive (TTY): it asks *"Install & enable the Chorus daemon to auto-start on boot?"* — **default No**. Answer yes to install.
  - Non-interactive (non-TTY, or `--yes`): it installs the boot service **only** when you pass `--daemon-autostart`; otherwise it writes `~/.chorus/daemon.json` and leaves starting the daemon to you (`chorus daemon`).
- **Platform support.** Auto-start is a *real* boot service on **Linux (systemd `--user`)** and **macOS (launchd LaunchAgent)** — both start now and at every login. On other platforms (e.g. Windows) it writes the config and prints the manual start steps instead of installing anything.
- **Idempotent.** Re-running when the service is already installed reports it as already configured and changes nothing.
- **Manage it.** `chorus daemon status | stop | restart | logs` transparently delegate to the installed supervisor (`systemctl --user` on Linux, `launchctl` on macOS); with no service installed they operate on the `chorus daemon -d` pidfile/log as before.

> **⚠️ Provider credentials on a boot service (important).** A boot-launched daemon (systemd `--user` or launchd) starts in a **clean environment** and does **not** inherit your shell-exported model-provider secrets (`ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`, `AWS_*` / `CLAUDE_CODE_USE_BEDROCK`, etc.). Chorus keeps `daemon.json` to the Chorus connection credentials only, so you must supply provider credentials to the service's environment yourself:
> - **Linux (systemd):** add a drop-in `~/.config/systemd/user/chorus-daemon.service.d/env.conf` containing `[Service]` + `Environment=ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=…` then `systemctl --user daemon-reload && systemctl --user restart chorus-daemon.service`; or place the vars in `~/.config/environment.d/*.conf`.
> - **macOS (launchd):** `launchctl setenv ANTHROPIC_API_KEY …` (before load), or add an `EnvironmentVariables` dict to `~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.chorus.daemon.plist`.
>
> Without this, a boot-started daemon reaches Chorus fine but its spawned agents may fail to reach the model provider.

---

## Execution Rules

1. **Always check in first** — Call `chorus_checkin()` at session start
2. **Sessions are automatic** — The Chorus Plugin creates, heartbeats, and closes sessions. Never call `chorus_create_session` or `chorus_close_session`.
3. **Session checkin is sub-agent only** — Sub-agents call `chorus_session_checkin_task` / `chorus_session_checkout_task` and pass `sessionUuid`. Main agent skips session tools entirely.
4. **Stay in your role** — Only use tools available to your role
5. **Report progress** — Use `chorus_report_work` or `chorus_add_comment`
6. **Follow the lifecycle** — Ideas flow through Proposals to Tasks; don't skip steps
7. **Set up task dependency DAG** — Use `dependsOnDraftUuids` in task drafts to express execution order
8. **Verify before claiming** — Check available items before claiming
9. **Document decisions** — Add comments explaining your reasoning
10. **Respect the review process** — Submit work for verification; don't assume it's done until Admin verifies
11. **Always use AskUserQuestion for human interaction** — NEVER display questions as plain text; use interactive radio buttons
12. **Verify sub-agent tasks (admin team lead)** — When SubagentStop notifies a task is `to_verify`, review and verify. Tasks in `to_verify` do NOT unblock downstream — only `done` does.

---

## Status Lifecycle Reference

### Idea Status Flow
```
open --> elaborating --> proposal_created --> completed
  \                                            /
   \--> closed <------------------------------/
```

### Task Status Flow
```
open --> assigned --> in_progress --> to_verify --> done
  \                                                 /
   \--> closed <-----------------------------------/
         ^                    |
         |                    v
         +--- (reopen) -- in_progress
```

### Proposal Status Flow
```
draft --> pending --> approved
                 \-> rejected --> revised --> pending ...
approved --> draft  (via revoke — cascade-closes tasks, deletes documents)
```

---

## Skill Routing

This is the core overview skill. For stage-specific workflows, use:

| Stage | Skill | Description |
|-------|-------|-------------|
| **Full Auto** | `/yolo` | Full-auto AI-DLC pipeline — from prompt to done. Automates Idea → Proposal → Execute → Verify with adversarial reviewers |
| **Orchestration** | `/orchestrate` | Coordinate OTHER agents & humans across the lifecycle — delegate ideas (`chorus_pm_assign_idea`) & tasks, fan a theme out to child ideas, run independent reviewers, and gatekeep the proposal/verify gates |
| **Quick Dev** | `/quick-dev` | Skip Idea→Proposal, create tasks directly, execute, and verify |
| **Ideation** | `/idea` | Claim Ideas, run elaboration rounds, prepare for proposal |
| **Research** | `/chorus:research` | Optional bounded factual checks shared by Idea and Proposal; explicit Tracker Research saves findings to the Idea and returns without advancing lifecycle |
| **Planning** | `/proposal` | Create Proposals with document & task drafts, manage dependency DAG, submit for review |
| **Development** | `/develop` | Claim Tasks, report work, session & sub-agent management, Agent Teams integration |
| **Review** | `/review` | Approve/reject Proposals, verify Tasks, project governance |
| **Docs** | `/docs` | Consult the live Chorus documentation site to answer product-usage questions — UI workflow, agent/plugin setup, API/MCP, deployment, operations |
| **OpenSpec mode** | `openspec-aware` | **Shared sub-procedure** invoked by `/proposal`, `/develop`, and `/yolo` when the resolved spec mode is a usable OpenSpec (the default when `openspec/` + CLI present and not disabled). Scaffolds `openspec/changes/<slug>/` on disk and mirrors files into Chorus document drafts via the `chorus-api.sh` wrapper. No-op when the mode isn't a usable OpenSpec. See `.claude/skills/openspec-aware/SKILL.md`. |
| **spec-lite mode** | `spec-lite` | **Shared sub-procedure** and the fallback when OpenSpec isn't usable (or `CHORUS_SPEC_MODE=lite`). Durable local `.chorus/specs/<slug>/spec.md` (never synced) + dated per-change folders of Chorus-typed docs mirrored 1:1 into Chorus via `--arg-file`. No CLI/validation/archive. See `.claude/skills/spec-lite/SKILL.md`. |

### Getting Started

1. Call `chorus_checkin()` to learn your role and assignments
2. Based on your role, use the appropriate skill:
   - **Full Auto** → `/yolo` — give a prompt, agent handles everything (requires Admin-preset permissions: write on every resource + approve/verify admin bits)
   - PM Agent → `/idea` then `/proposal`
   - Developer Agent → `/develop`
   - Admin Agent → `/review` (also has access to all PM and Developer tools)